As you know, there haven't been many regular Andy Murkin albums released
during the period 2010-2016 - just two, in fact, Axe (FORT 16,
2011) and
Holiday on Devil's Island (FORT 17, 2012).

However, here at Fortspring we have not been idle: work has been focused on
the four Special series albums, Decade (FORS 01, 2012), From
Aardvark to Zebra/Goodbye Finisterre
(FORS 02, 2013), Devil's Island Discs, Anniversary Reissue (FORS
03, 2014) and
A Walk in the Park/The Birds and the Bees (FORS 04, 2015);
ambient/electronic
pieces released on the Specials, and on the GENRE series albums Yelling
Dimensions (FORG 19, 2015), Ambient VI (FORG 20, 2015) and
Ambient VII (to be
released, 2016); piano pieces using instruments specially created in Apple's
EXS24 soft synth, the 'Broken Piano' and the 'Reverse Piano', appearing on
Holiday
on Devil's Island and Piano Music (FORG 17, 2012); and
guitar-based tracks for
a potential follow up to Axe.

The Fortspring release schedule for this period is completed by the
collection Protosynthesis (FORG 18, 2012) and Sampler
II (FORG 21, 2014).

The tracks on this album consist of ambient/electronic and piano pieces not
used on the albums mentioned above, guitar tracks recorded for the uncompleted
Axe follow-up, plus a couple of oddities created during this time,
but not
finding anywhere to be released.

Disc One

1. E (Murkin) [2:44]
Named simply after the chord, beloved by all guitarists as the purest
expression of the mystical force of their instrument. Here, the mixing of the
sound with a clap of thunder illustrates the God-like power just waiting to be
unleashed. Would have been the opening track of the Axe follow-up, as
originally envisaged.
2. If I Fell (Lennon/McCartney) [5:34]
Recorded at the same time as Axe, this track didn't fit the main criterion of
that album that the tracks should be entirely live. This one has live guitar,
but a pre-recorded backing track.
3. Guitar Improvisation #1 (Murkin) [6:13]
This one, though, is entirely live, recorded using an effects patch I created
using the program Pure Data and called the FXBOX. This uses a Korg NanoKontrol
and a custom-made foot pedal which I made based on a repurposed Game Controller
PCB. The only post-processing is editing for length.

4. 3 Pizzas, Lee (Reverse Version) (Murkin) [1:37]
Created using my EXS24 Reverse Piano instrument.
5. Broken Piano Fugue (Fast) (Murkin) [1:14]
6. Broken Piano Fugue (Slow) (Murkin) [1:51]
These two tracks were created using my EXS24 Broken Piano instrument.
7. Sheep May Safely Graze (Reverse Version) (Bach) [5:13]
Another one using the EXS24 Reverse Piano instrument.
8. Orchestral Suite from Skyride (Murkin) [15:46]
I enjoyed putting together the Orchestral Suite from Caravan (released on
ODZNENZ, FORT 15, 2011), so I decided to do another one, using the orchestral
material from the track Skyride from Bits & Bobs (FORT 09, 2006)
9. Zoot Allures (Zappa) [4:23]
Another guitar number, recorded for the Axe follow-up.
10. Devil's Island Loops (Murkin) [11.35]
An Ambient/Electronic piece, created with the 'Black Widow Sample Player',
another of my Pure Data patches. This enables 4 short samples to be played
back simultaneously and manipulated automatically, or manually with a a
joystick/throttle controller, as used in an aeroplane simulation game.

Disc Two

1. Lotus Feet (Take #7) (McLaughlin) [8:50]
Take #5 was released on Axe, this take, recorded just a little afterwards, is
slightly shorter, but with a longer eBow solo.
2. Guitar Improvisation #2 (Murkin) [10:09]
Another live improvisation using the FXBOX, this time with some external
effects, in particular the EHX Alterego, which provides the background drone.
3. Sunflower (Hubbard) [13:40]
A guitar track recorded for the planned Axe follow-up.
4. Slow Motion Auto 1 Edit (Murkin) [4:56]
An Ambient/Electronic piece, created with the Black Widow in automatic mode.
5. Broken Spy Song (Murkin) [0.48]
6. Spy Windsynthing (Reverse Version) (Murkin) [8:23]
These two tracks were created using my EXS24 Broken and Reverse Piano
instruments.
7. A Salty Dog (Brooker/Reid) [8:56]
Recorded for the unfinished Axe follow-up.
8. Earith Lock (Murkin) [8:02]
A final Ambient/Electronic piece, partly created with the 'Black Widow', but the
beginning of a new Soundscape-oriented style, distingushed in three ways: 1. I
record the source material myself; 2. The pieces are closely related to the
place where the material has been recorded; and 3. Much of the source material
is used without processing.

Hermitage Lock in Earith, Cambridgeshire is unusual in that it passes
underneath a main road. Hence this piece begins and ends with the sound of
traffic; in the middle portion of the piece the natural sounds are affected as
the boat waits in a tunnel beneath the roadway for the water level to rise and
the lock gates to open.